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Dogs aren’t well-versed in the world of human boundaries, especially when it comes to using their nose. They often greet a new dog with a quick sniff of a rear end, so that often extends to how they greet a new human. Dogs will shove their noses into a human’s crotch with no hesitation. But why do dogs sniff your crotch?
The Power of a Dog’s Nose
While the invasive sniffing can be embarrassing, especially if your dog does it to a visitor, it’s their way of saying hello and learning about someone. A dog’s nose is a powerful tool. Dogs have up to 300 million scent sensors in their noses, compared to humans, who only have 6 million. This means that their sense of smell is 10,000 times greater than ours.
Dogs even have a special organ specifically dedicated to processing smells called Jacobson’s organ, or the vomeronasal organ. The organ, located above the roof of the mouth, plays an important role in how a dog interprets smell. It is connected to the scent-dedicated part of the dog’s brain, which is about 40 times larger than that of a human. This is why dogs are used to sniff out drugs, bombs, cancer, insulin levels, COVID-19, bed bugs, and more.
Why Do Dogs Sniff Your Crotch?
But what does that have to do with a dog’s need to sniff a human’s crotch? It all comes down to sweat glands, or apocrine glands, to be precise. These glands release pheromones that convey all different types of information such as age, sex, mood, and if a mammal is able to mate. Dogs have apocrine glands all over their bodies, but the highest concentration is found in the genitals and anus (which is why dogs sniff other dogs’ butts).
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Intact male dogs are known for being especially avid sniffers when searching for a mate since they want to know if a female dog is ovulating or pregnant. Most mammals, including humans, have apocrine glands. For humans, these glands are concentrated in the armpits and genitals. Since a dog can often only reach a human’s genitals, that’s where they head to gather information. Scenthounds, such as Bloodhounds, Basset Hounds, and Beagles, are more likely to sniff at crotches due to a sensitive sense of smell.
What Can a Dog Sense From Smelling Your Crotch?
Some human crotches are more likely to attract a dog’s curious nose. Dogs may be sniff at crotches if you recently have had sexual intercourse or gave birth, or if you’re menstruating. These people are giving off a higher level of pheromones.
So even when a dog is familiar with their owner, if that owner is menstruating or just had a baby, they are letting off a different smell. The dog will want to know why. This may also be why dogs often steal underwear since the undergarment carries an owner’s scent.
A dog’s ability to smell pheromones means they may be able to tell when a woman is ovulating. In his book “How Dogs Think,” Stanley Coren, PhD., DSc., FRSC writes about how Australian Shepherds were trained to sniff out cows that had just ovulated. This method, which is reportedly easier than other ways to predict ovulation in livestock, has helped ranchers breed cows during their short breeding window. While it is not definitively proven that dogs can detect ovulation in humans, they can at least sense changes in their owners. A dog’s ability to detect ovulation may also extend to their ability to sniff out ovarian cancer.
How to Stop Your Dog From Sniffing Crotches
While a dog’s scent-drive curiosity is about gathering information and saying hello, you and any guests may want to avoid the awkward situation.
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If your dog is an avid crotch sniffer, consider making sure that when a guest enters the house, they present your dog with their hand or fist to sniff first. This gives the dog something else to focus on besides a crotch. With a fist, the dog can still gather information on the new human without getting up close and very personal. You can also train your dog to sit when someone new enters the house.
Channel Your Dog’s Sense of Scent
You can also channel your dog’s nose into fun activities for both you and your pet. AKC Scent Work is a sport that mimics the task of working detection dogs to locate a scent and communicate to the handler that the scent has been found. Any dog — mixed breed or purebred — is welcome to participate.
Because the searches mimic real-life scenarios, training can be done at home or in the community. You can also check out local clubs, and many dog training facilities may offer classes or training.
Looking for a way to engage your dog? Give your dog a snuffle mat or sniff mat. Finding treats hidden in these toys provides lots of mental stimulation and fun.
FAQs
It's All About Communication. For dogs, crotch-sniffing is akin to shaking hands or checking social media profiles. It's their way of getting to know who you are. They are trying to detect your pheromones to understand more about your state of being—such as your mood, health, and more.
Why is my dog obsessed with smelling my crotch? ›
When you think about it, crotch sniffing isn't all that different from dogs sniffing one another's butts to say hello and gather information about their age, gender and reproductive status. Since dogs consider humans part of their pack, the urge to sniff crotches is likely an instinctual way to greet humans.
Why do dogs sniff human butts? ›
In addition to chemical communication, there is another purpose to sniffing rear ends. Dogs smell rear ends as a calming mechanism. Performing this innate ritual soothes them and serves as a stress reliever.
Why do dogs nudge you in the crotch? ›
Your dog may be seeking information about the humans he comes into contact with. A friendly hello – Some experts argue that crotch sniffing among dogs is a form of greeting, much like two humans shaking hands.
What does it mean when dogs sniff each other's privates? ›
This is how they get to know each other, it's actually a good sign that they are getting along. Not only do dogs sniff and smell things out of curiosity, they taste and paw at things out of curiosity. Dogs learn a lot about each other by sniffing and licking the genitals of other dogs.
How do dogs act when they smell illness? ›
He will be relaxed, yet alert. He will show no signs of aggression and may attempt to guard a person who isn't feeling well from other people. His ears will tilt toward what he is trying to hear. When he is sniffing something different, his tail will be held high and it will not wag.
Why is my dog obsessed with licking my crotch? ›
They are simply identifying you and/or enjoy the taste of your skin and/or fluids. If you don't want your dog to lick your crotch, skin or any area of your body simply don't allow your dog in the bathroom, shower or bedroom or have access to that area.
Can dogs smell infections in humans? ›
So, dogs know a person's individual smell and when illness changes that smell, dogs can notice that, too. Even humans can observe the scent of sickness with some health problems.
Can dogs smell period blood? ›
It turns out that both cats and dogs are able to detect menstruation by odor and hormonal levels. Of course, they don't actually have any scientific concept of what's happening in your uterus, but they do know that something is going on.
Can dogs sense illness in other dogs? ›
Research Suggests Dogs Can Be Trained to Sniff Out Cancer in Other Dogs. Dogs have been using their superior sense of smell to help humans for centuries—leading hunters to their quarry, locating missing persons, detecting explosives and narcotics, even detecting falling glucose levels in their owners.
Don't worry, give them time because their tummy is the most vulnerable part of their body and they won't let anyone rub them unless they trust them. However, if they trust you enough, they will roll over close to you and won't mind a belly rub.
Why do dogs sniff women's private parts? ›
Dogs sniff humans' genital regions because people's apocrine (sweat) glands produce pheromone scents that convey information. When a female ovulates, menstruates, or is nursing, this may cause a change in pheromones. Dogs most often will sniff the groin area of strangers.
Why do dogs put their head between your legs when you pet them? ›
Nuzzling. If you're asking yourself, “Why does my dog bury his head in me?”, it's likely a sign of affection. Nuzzling is a way for canines to express love. In some situations, depending on the context, it can also signal anxiety.
Why does my male dog lick my female dog's pee? ›
Because of their heightened senses, dogs will sometimes lick another dog's urine as a way of understanding the information that they smell in greater detail. This may seem gross to us, but it allows your pet to understand whether the dog is male or female, neutered or unneutered, and even stressed all from their wee!
Why is my dog smelling my older dog? ›
Constant sniffing can be a way for one dog to assert dominance over the other. The sniffer may seek information about the other dog's social status, reinforce their own authority, or solidify their position in the pack hierarchy.
Why is my male dog suddenly obsessed with my other male dog? ›
Why Your Dog Obsessed With Other Dog? The Simple Answer: Your dog is obsessed with other dogs because your pup either wants to play with the other dog, is fearful, or has created a bad habit of trying to interact with every dog your pup sees.
How do I get my dog to stop sniffing my crotch? ›
If they get to a crotch before you can prevent them, the owner of the crotch should gently push them away while turning. Once you have control of your dog, repeat by offering the hand and rewarding your dog's decision to sniff that instead. The idea is to show your dog how you want them to behave.
Can a dog tell if you're pregnant? ›
While we can't know for sure the exact moment a dog senses a pregnancy, we do know that not much gets by the canine nose. Although your pup can detect a change in scent, it's unlikely he comprehends the reason for the change.
When can a dog sense pregnancy? ›
According to Monte Swarup, MD, FACOG, an ob-gyn in Chandler, Arizona, and the founder of HPV Hub, hormones start changing early in pregnancy—soon after your missed period, when you're only about four weeks pregnant. So if your friend swears her dog knew she was pregnant before she did, she might not be exaggerating!
